TVR

TVR was an early pioneer of the polycarbonate/composite sportscar, and they produced a series of quite nice and zippy little buggies. The line is alive and well, with the absolutely delectable Cerbera and the bat-out-of-hell Chimaera, which will haul your ass from zero to 100kph in around 4.8 nail-biting seconds (if you could pry your fingers loose from the wheel long enough to bite 'em, that is).

At present, the company (TVR Engineering) is busy with a new retro-rocket named the Tuscan, which when fully tricked out for GT racing looks like someone injected a Dodge Viper with that stuff they used to squirt into the Universal Soldiers. If it'll bring a soldier from dead to killing machine, imagine what it would do if it was starting from a Dodge Viper.

If you've got the scratch, the minerals, and the long straight road, then go for the T440R - a 4.2 litre V8 that will fire you to 60mph in 3.9 seconds, and keep going all the way up to 215mph.

On second thought, don't imagine:

http://www.tvr-eng.co.uk

Originally, early TVR models were powered by Triumph straight-six 2500cc engines (the same as used in the Triumph TR6 sportscar and relatives). Presently, however, the new machines sport Rover-cum-BMW TVR-tweaked V8s, developing a minimum of around 240 BHP. In a car that weighs less than a ton, well...

Check it all out for yourself at http://.www.tvr-eng.co.uk and happy motoring!